The first mention of a Normandy Scout Troop was in 1912, although little
is known of its activities. Then, scouting took its lead from Lieutenant-General
Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts movement in 1908.
The Normandy troop probably met in a cow shed on Mr Warner's farm at Wyke
Cross, a hop, skip and a jump from St Mark's Vicarage. It is believed that
the Rev F N Pickford and his wife ran the troop. In 1919 with life beginning
to return to normal, scouting in Normandy attracted the attention of Mr
and Mrs William Henry and with the help of Will Fowler laid the foundations
for the present day Normandy Scout Group. Meetings and troop activities
were held at their Headquarters called The Normans

Normandy Scouts Camping

Normandy Scouts (one of whom is believed to be a "Dyson",
according to Mrs Joan Brooks), seen camping about 1932, possibly on Pirbright
Common.

This building, still in use but not for scout meetings and activities,
was a Canadian Army hut brought over from Witley Camp in 1919 and erected
on land purchased from Longerend Farm. William Henry was appointed Scoutmaster
and D B Pitt Assistant Scoutmaster. Mrs Henry was appointed Leader of the
first Wolf Pack in 1922 with 15 cubs in her charge. William, her husband,
retired in 1928 when there were two scouters, 20 scouts and 12 cubs and
she took over the Warrant and duties of Group Scoutmaster holding the Warrant
until 1959. In addition to her group duties she found time also to help
with the organisation of the World Jamboree at Arrowe Park, Birkenhead.
She dedicated 38 years to the scout movement, enabling many of the youth
of this village to prove themselves and to prepare for adulthood.

In 1954 the 1st Normandy Scout Group won the Harvey Totem Pole for camping,
the Packman Flag for scout craft and the Gordon Whale Cup for drill, the
first time that the three trophies had been held by a single Group.

The golden anniversary celebrations focused attention on the inadequacy
of the headquarters building and the need for replacement for which a "new
building fund" was subsequently started. Thanks to keen local support,
particularly from Doreen Halton, Pam and Jim Chant and Edie Sharp the target
of £1000 was reached within 5 years. The Scouts Association rewarded
each of them with a "Thanks Badge". The opening of the new headquarters
on 12 September 1970 by past District Commissioner Major-General Bond was
a nostalgic occasion for a number of guests, especially for the Reverend
Andrew Tuck, Queen's Scout and former member of the 1st Normandy Troop,
who administered "the Blessing".

The Group is fortunate in possessing extensive grounds around their headquarters
building, ideal for practising camping skills and outdoor activities enabling
them to win the Surrey Camping Competition on at least three occasions.
Undoubtedly many present and former residents will remember the swimming
pool. Although perhaps comparison with a Guildford Spectrum type of pool
is hardly fair, it has been greatly appreciated by both the scouting fraternity
and the populace of Normandy until its decline in about 1980. In 1996 it
was drained, filled and the site landscaped.

Normandy Scout Group's
Swimming Pool c1931

Miss Florence Kate Manfield, a teacher at St Mark's, Wyke C of E School, in charge of the group at the Swimming Pool, 15th September 1930, she left the school two years later with her marriage on 26th September 1932.

In 1974 an International Scout Camp was held at nearby Fairlands Farm
bringing together 1200 scouts and guides including those from Normandy.
Camping is a feature of scouting life. "Going to camp in Jim Chant's
lorry" is remembered by many ex scouts and not just those of Normandy
but of other Groups in the district for it was Jim's pleasure to help set-up
camp and return at the end of the holiday to help strike camp.

Residents will recall Bob-a-Job week when a smartly uniformed scout or
cub would turn up on the doorstep asking for work. It was an innovative
and imaginative scheme to raise funds. The "no nonsense" attitude
as to the size or the unpleasantness of the job, had great appeal but sadly
the scheme was abused and eventually laid to rest.

The 1st Normandy scouts is one of the few Groups that display a Roll
of Honour for its King's Scouts and Queen's Scouts. David Kimber, Robert
Watson and Bernard Crooke were the very first Queen Scouts in the group.
The Normandy scouts group were very successful during that period at winning
all of the local scouting competitions beating all the Guildford groups
much to their annoyance. It also holds an unusual record in that father
and son both gained the Queen's Scout award. Bill Knight gained his in 1959
and his son Richard in 1989. In 1970 Bill Knight retired as Assistant Scoutmaster
and became Venture Scout Leader. By 1989 he had, to his credit, produced
22 Queen's Scouts.

There has been a wonderful history of husband and wife teams serving
the Group. Starting in 1912 with the Pickfords followed in the early 1950s
by the Henrys and then by the Boxalls. Don and Pat Plumley worked together
for 25 years followed by Jonathan and Carole Gasson with Tony and Carol
Shirtliff continuing the tradition. Warrant holders have always enjoyed
a wonderful support from its lay officers, too numerous to mention here.
They, together with family and friends over the years, have helped to make
the 1st Normandy Scouts Group a successful and vibrant member of the scouting
movement.

Normandy
Girl Guides

At the request of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, his sister Miss Agnes Baden-Powell
formed an organisation for girls, similar to that of the Boy Scouts, known
as Girl Guides, the badge of which was the Shamrock, the three leaves representing
the guides promises

1st Normandy Girl Guides formed in January 1931.Photo taken at 'Holne Chase', Guildford Road, Normandy,
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Grimshaw.

The 1st Normandy Girl Guides was formed in January 1931 with Beatrice
Grimshaw as Captain and Doris Spears as her Lieutenant. Initially their
meetings were held each Saturday evening in the village hall. Sir Philip
and Lady Henriques frequently invited the guides to their home at Normandy
Park where the girls entertained them with singing and dancing. Lady Henriques
presented the guides with a Union Flag which, Joan Dyson recalls carrying
to St Mark's Church where it hangs to this day for safe keeping. The original
"Colours" that were carried and featured on formal occasions were
mislaid but in 1973 new ones were presented anonymously and blessed by the
Reverend Graham Hawkett at a special service. Ethel Turner recalls that
when she was Guide Captain between 1945 and 1952, the guides and ranger
guides met in either the church hall or the village hall. Apart from the
regular weekly activities, they attended rallies in Guildford, and on one
special occasion met Lord Baden-Powell at Hampton Court. In 1945 the Summer
Camp was held on the Isle of Wight.

At the meeting of Normandy Girl Guides in the church hall on Friday
the 25th January 1952, the District Commissioner, Mrs Wadeson, presented
The Badge of Fortitude to Miss Pat Bowers of Harpers Road, Ash.
Miss Bowers had been suffering from acute paralysis for several years,
and had been in a plaster cast. The badge is awarded to guides who, under
exceptional circumstances, carry out the 8th Guide law - 'A Guide smiles
and sings under all difficulties'. Guests of the evening were Mrs Bevis
of the local Girl Guides Association, and Miss Tapply, (Brown Owl).

The guide uniform, like that of the scouts, has changed over the years
to reflect the fashion of the period and to suit today's more active pursuits
of guiding and like the scouts, obtaining achievement badges is equally
important to the guides In September 1984, for nine months, Puttenham Guides
with their leader Sheila Smethurst, amalgamated with the Normandy Company.

Another Guider who comes to mind must be Pat Vant Riet, who not
only helped with the regular organisation of the Group but played a major
part in the training and mentoring of those guides that achieved the Queens
Guide Award.

In April 1985, to celebrate 75 years of guiding, Jean Mayhead with guides
Alison and Catherine Davies, Christine Rooks, Debbie Seymour and Melissa
Sherwood attended a rally at Crystal Palace at which Melissa carried the
Normandy Colours and Christine the Puttenham Colours. They also attended
and took part in a pageant at the West Surrey Guides Rally at Sandown Park.
For Debbie Dean, 1990 was a memorable year. That summer she was enrolled
as a Guide on the balcony of Lord Baden-Powell's South Africa Room at Foxlease
in the New Forest, the Guide Association's Training Centre and camping site,
when she and four of her Normandy companions together with guides from Emmanuel
Church, Stoughton, were there at camp. Jean retired that year but maintained
her ties with guiding as a tester. Fiona Larby briefly ran the Company,
but after a break Christine Nicholson restarted it in the autumn of 1994
and as their Leader maintains the fine standards she inherited, continuing
the traditions and training of guides as did her predecessors. The guides
continue to meet as usual on Friday evenings in the church room

Queen's Guide (Fiona Jackman) 1975 and Standard Bearers

L to R: Jacky Hunt, Sonia Van't Riet, Fiona Jackman,

Elaine Jackman and Susan Backhurst

In 1950, Eileen Manuel was the first Normandy Guide to gain the Queen's
Guide and in 1954 she became Tawny Owl of the Brownie Pack. In 1984, and
having retained a lasting interest in guiding, she was invited to present
the Queens Guide Award to Lorna Sherwood and Davinia Turner. In 1975,
Fiona Jackman received the Queens Guide Award and in 1977, four guides,
Susan Backhurst, Jacqueline Hunt, Elaine Jackman and Sonia Van't Riet each
received the Queen's Guide Award

Queen's Guides Awards 1977

L to R: Susan Backhurst, Jacky Hunt, Sonia Van't Riet,
Elaine Jackman

Mary Dey (former Brown Owl at Normandy and currently Brown Owl at Wood
Street Village), writes to tell us that sadly, due to a lack of girls of
guide age, the Guide Unit at Normandy was closed in about July 2000. The
Brownie Unit was closed in December 2004; again due to a lack of girls of
brownie age in the village.

In June 1982 Karen received her Queen's Guide Award from Mrs Myra Bayliss
(District Orienteering and Walking Adviser). To qualify, Karen had used
an outdoor theme including camping, walking orienteering and other outdoor
pursuits. A few months earlier she had received the Duke of Edinburgh Award
for Guiding

Davina Turner &
Lorna Sherwood

On the 26th May 1984, The Queens Guide Award was presented to Lorna
Sherwood and Davina Turner by Mrs Eileen Bunyan (formerly Manuel), District
Commissioner of Ash District, who in 1950 was the first Normandy Guide
to receive the Queens Guide Award.

However, Normandy Brownies merged with the 4th Stoughton Brownies (since
they had not had a permanent leader for a few months), and the newly merged
unit meets in Wood Street Village and is thriving and is attended by a number
of girls from Normandy.

Normandy
Brownie Guides

A Brownie pack, sometimes called Brownie guides, was formed in 1932 possibly
as part of the West Surrey, Woking Division, Brookwood District. The records
of the Guildford Rural Division, Ash District, indicate that Ellen Garman
was appointed Brown Owl of the Normandy Pack on 24 July 1933, continuing
as Mrs Ellen Passingham until November 1937 when Miss J Wilson was appointed
as Assistant Brown Owl and then Brown Owl in 1938. Doris Baker who retired
in May 1945, took over from her in 1943. Betty Tapply, who became Tawny
Owl in 1945 and Brown Owl the following year, became the driving force of
the pack and remained in the post until her retirement in 1965. In later
years, some former Brownies returned to Betty with their offspring for enrolment.

The 1st Normandy Brownie GuidesThe Brownies are pictured during their first Pack Holiday at
Littleton Youth House in August 1968. The Brownies were under the Leadership
of their Guider, Doris Page (back row 4th from left) who was assisted by
Miss J Cooper, Wood Street Guider, Mrs H Sinden and Mrs F Allin, Park Barn
Guider. Brownies Pamela and Sally Kirtley are sitting in front of Doris
Page, Debbie Chattaway is kneeling to their right, Jane Baunsey is kneeling
to the left of Doris. Brownie Sarah Turner is standing receiving tuition
and Jeanette is kneeling in front of her. Brownie Vivien Van 't Riet is
kneeling far right with Pat Boumphrey reclining in front of her.

Brownies worked for their achievement badges in the same manner as did
the scouts, cubs and guides. Thanks to the patience and help of parents
they gained skills in cookery, art, writing, gardening, entertaining, swimming
and first aid, to name but a few, and all put to good use at camp. They
were too young to be allowed to camp under canvas but nevertheless enjoyed
their "pack holidays" at various village halls and, of course,
Wanborough Youth House at nearby Flexford. Their pack meetings all ended
with singing and playing games thus ensuring happy faces at the end of the
day.

In 1965 the Brownies were thriving and meeting weekly in the church room
with Doris Page as Brown Owl assisted by Louise Rigby as Tawny Owl followed
by Evelyn Bush. In March 1970, they were proud to welcome Lady Baden-Powell,
grand daughter-in-law of Lady Olave Baden-Powell to their "thinking
day" at St Mark's church room. Guests were entertained by poetry readings
and tea was served by six Brownies each anxious to obtain a hostess badge.
The pack had a number of successes singing in competitions, attributed without
question to the enthusiasm and choral exuberance of Doris, her helpers and
parents. Many families will remember Doris and her little group singing
carols outside their homes. In 1972, they came second in the National Guide
Festival of Song, featured on London Radio, and in 1980 entered and won
the Song & Dance Festival arranged by the London and South East Girl
Guide Association.

As with the Girl Guides, Mary Dey (former Brown Owl at Normandy and currently
Brown Owl at Wood Street Village), writes to tell us that sadly, due to
a lack of girls of guide age, the Guide Unit at Normandy was closed in about
July 2000. The Brownie Unit was closed in December 2004; again due to a
lack of girls of brownie age in the village.

However, Normandy Brownies merged with the 4th Stoughton Brownies (since
they had not had a permanent leader for a few months), and the newly merged
unit meets in Wood Street Village and is thriving and is attended by a number
of girls from Normandy.